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(No Model.)

C, B. GEBR. COMBINATION FURNITURE.

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D.. jv Y I M y y W/TNESSES A rroysys,

UNTT-nn STATns COSTELLO B.

GEEK, OF UNION CITY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JAMES E. BEEBE, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBiNATlON-FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming pari; of Letters Patent No. 516,005, dated March 6, 1894, Application iiled May 24, 1893;` Serial No. 475,303. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom zit may con/cern:

Be it known that I, COSTELLO B. GEER, of Union City, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination- Furniture, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in combination or convertible articles which are used in buildings; and the object of my invention is to produce a cheap, simple and easily converted article of furniture, which may be made to serve the purposes of a blackboard, a desk, a secretary and a copy holder, and also to construct and arrange the several parts so that the article referred to may be made to serve all these purposes simultaneously or one at a time.

To these ends my invention consists of cer tain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar iigures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved article of furniture, showing it with the various parts thrown open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus in closed position. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus in closed position. Fig. i is a detail side elevation of a modified means of supporting the desk board, which provides for adjusting it at different heights. Fig. is a detail longitudinal section of a modified form of copy holder, used in connection with the apparatus; and Fig. is a cross section through the copy holder on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

The apparatus is provided with a main board 10 which is adapted to be fastened in any convenient way against the wall of a room, and this board has a blackboard surface 11 which, when exposed, may be used like an ordinary blackboard and at the lower edge of the board 10 is a ledge 12, which is adapted to support the inner edge of the desk board 13, this board being adapted to extend outward at an incline, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to serve as a desk and also to swing upward against the face of the apparatus so as to serve as a sort of cover for the same, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. To enable it to swing easily into the several described positions it is hung on rod hangers 14: which are pivoted to its opposite ends near the center and also to the side edges of the board 10.

Instead of hanging the board 18 as described, hangers 15 may be used as illustrated in Fig. 4, these having hooks 16 at one end to engage studs 17 which are arranged in vertical rows on opposite edges of the board 10, and the hangers 15 are also provided with keyhole slots 18 which engage studs 19 on opposite edges of the desk board 13, and by adjusting the hooks upon the studs 17 and the holes 18 on the studs 19, the desk board 13 may be brought to any desired inclination.

Just above the ledge 12 on the board 10, at a suiiicient distance to permit the insertion of one edge of the desk board between the ledge and itself, is a tray 2O which extends horizontally across the board, and this tray is at the foot of the blackboard 11 and on it may be placed any usual articles, such as pieces of chalk, erasers, dac. The board 10 has hinged to opposite edges secretaries 21, each being formed as a rectangular case with suitable compartments and pigeon holes therein, and these secretaries are adapted to hold paper and other things and may be divided up in any desired way. As illustrated, the secretaries are arranged to swing to opposite sides of the board, but it will be understood that the two may be combined and made to swing to one side, if desired. Each secretary is hinged to the board 10 by means of 3, bent wire rod 22, the ends of which are secured to the board, and staples 23 which are secured to the secretaries and embrace the rod. Instead of this forni of hinge, however, any suitable hinge may be used, and in some cases hinges, which permit the easy detaching of the secretaries, are preferable.

Above the secretaries is the copy holder, which comprises a case 24, preferably of rectangular shape, and this case is open in front, but provided with an edge iange 25 against which the copy-cards in the holder it. The holder is provided with a swinging lid 26,011 its top, which permits the easy insertion of IOC) the cards in the case, and this lid has preferably a depending iiange 27 at its free edge which is adapted to fit over the upper front portions of the cards so as to form practically a continuation of the :flange 25. On the flange 27 is a stud 2S, which is adapted to engage a suitable spring 29 on the inner and upper edge of the desk board 13, so that when the desk board is in closed position, it is locked to the lid 26 and both are fastened by the same fastening device. Any suitable fastening device may be used. The catch 29 does not show in Fig. 1, because when the desk board is lowered into operative position, it is tipped over and the upper edge placed against the board 10 and between the ledge 12 and tray 20. The copyhoider 24 is adapted to contain, cards 30, having suitable matter thereon to be copied on the blackboard or on a pad which may be laid upon the desk board 13. This arrangement makes the apparatus very desirable for people learning to draw or write. The cards 30 are pressed to the front of the case or holder by a plunger or board 31, which is arranged behind the'cards and which is pressed against them by a spring 32 which is arranged between the plunger and the back of the holder and which may be of any suitable kind. Instead of the cards 30, a belt 33 may be used, having lines of suitable copy transversely thereon, and the ends of the belt are secured to rollers 34 which are arranged one above another and which project through one end of the holder 24. and terminate in knobs 35 which may be turned, and by properly inanipulating the knobs and rollers, the belt may be moved so as to bring any desired line of copy to view. The belt is run over suitable guide rods 36 which are arranged longitudinally in the holder at the upper and lower edges of the opening therein.

On the ends of the holder 24 are hooks 37 which are adapted to engage studs 3S on opposite ends of the desk board 13, these studs being placed near one of the side edges of the board, and by swinging the board upward and engaging the studs with the hooks 37, the board may be held in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to project atan inclination from the upper edge of the blackboard, and when in this position, it makes a convenient desk for one who is standing.

When the blackboard is to be used, the desk board 13 may be swung upward and then downward and allowed to hang vertically below the blackboard and the secretaries are swung to one side, as illustrated in Fig. 1. If the desk is to be used, the desk board 13 is adjusted in one of the positions shown in Fig. 1, and either the desk or blackboard, or both, may be used in connection with the copy holder; that is to say, the copy- 'ist may look at the copy and attempt to reproduce it upon the blackboard or on paper upon the desk.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the apparatus may be very conveniently used, that it is simple in construction, and that when not in use it may be folded into a very compact shape.

It will be understood that the copy holder 24.- may be used in combination with the blackboard as described, or with the desk and seeretaries either separately or together.

Having `thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a device of the kind described, the combination, with the main board having a blackboard surface thereon, and a ledge at its lower edge, of aswinging desk board adapted to lie vertically in front of the blackboard or to project atan inclination from the ledge, or hang below the blackboard, hanger rods pivoted to the side edges ot' the main. board and to the ends of the desk board, and means for securing the desk board in vertical position, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the blackboard, of a copy holding case secured thereto and provided with an open face and a suitable lid, and a spring-pressed plunger arranged Within the case and adapted to press forward the copy therein, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the main board adapted to be secured to a wall and provided with a blackboard surface and an outwardly moving desk board, of secretaries hinged to the side of the main board and adapted to fold against it and between it and the desk board, and means for securing the desk board in vertical position, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the main board having a blackboard surface and a ledge at its lower edge, of a tray atA the foot of the blackboard and parallel with the ledge, and a swinging desk board connected by rod hangers with the edges of the blackboard and adapted to have one edge rest between the ledge and the tray, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination, of the main board having a blackboard surface, the copy holder above the blackboard, the swinging secretaries hinged to the main board and adapted to swing against the face of the blackboard, and the swinging desk board connected by rod hangers with the main board and adapted to close vertically against the secretaries and copy holder, and means t'or securing the desk board inverticalposition,substantially as described.

COSTELLO B. GEER.

Witnesses:

J. H. MoCLINTooK, J. V. B. SMILEY.

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